MV in AMA Superbike

[racerr900]

Glad to see MV Augusta in AMA Superbike. I was watching the Daytona action this weekend and surprised to see the Ferracci/MV Augustas running AMA. I know Ducati pulled out last year, but didn't expect to see the Augustas running this year. Hope they do well, I will be cheering for them.

[TheDuke]

Matt Lynn was doing really well until his front tire chuncked. EBoz had the same problem right about the same lap.

[falco03]

they did a great job of moving up on the grid.....they started 15th and 16th and moved up to 8th and 10th.
it would be cool to see an italian war going on in AMA....ducati and MVAgusta.
seeing as how the rest of the grid and overall race venue is mediocre.

[Axecent]

Now, after a coupla' races, they are failing to impress. Coverage of the bikes pouring out smoke and steam, being pushed to the side of the track, and leaning against walls in the background of the action is not what MV wanted out of FBF! Especially while running in 11th......

BTW, tried calling FBF to do business with them? Reminds me of Ducati USA back in the eighties. One half month to get through to them....and then: "You want it when?????"

BTW, anybody know where one might get a set of bar risers for an F4-1000? Yeah, I'm an old man and would like to get an inch or two of relief. And what is up with the MV's pegs? I hope that I get some FBF rearsets soon so I can stop my feet slipping off the slick ended stock pegs. I would love to go somewhere on-line where I can actually find upgrades to some of the design 'failures' of the bike.

Also, I have been dissappointed with the poor performance of the non-radial brakes on the F4. Pretty wooden, non-progressive feel. Is anyone else left wanting in the decelleration dept., or do I have a problem with MY brakes? They don't compare to the non-radials on other bikes I ride in feel or outright braking power.

My desire to own one may have been heavily influenced by its' good looks, but I didn't buy it just to look at it, and it seems absurd that a bike this good has some fundamental flaws, but hey, it's all fixable.

I still love my bike, in spite of the typical 'character' of the experience of owning something that hasn't really reached the pinnacle of dealer and importer support in the US. I think MV consumers deserve much better.

[dmartin]

interesting. your woes over function vs form are common. I am wanting one based on looks and its pedigree heritage. hell, bragging rights. but if MV tarnishes it's bragging rights image too much, it'll hit them where it hurts. I went into the aprilia expecting some flaws and issues, but for the most part the quality and fit/finish have impressed me. my mille came off the showroom floor with better stock parts than it's much more expensive cousin F4 1000 would have. I'm taking my time buying the F4 for good reason.

[Axecent]

Maybe TPG will step in a buy out the Castiglioni brothers again. NOT.

I, too, have had several Aprilia models, including a Biaggi rep RS 250, a Mille, and now, a 450. The small twins have had some issues, for sure, but so far, no problems with mine. The Mille and a 95' Biaggi? Pretty bulletproof, functional motorcycles. I sold the Mille, and am running a 316 kit on the street in the Biaggi. It is a motorcycle I will NEVER sell. When I get old, I'll put it on my porch and kill mosquitos with it. In the interim, it is great fun in the canyons around Kerrville. I did improve it's function with a late model Showa front end, which I thought was worth the effort.

I'll putt around and break in the Tamburini, but it may be that I will ease into the poser act when riding it.

[WEEErs50]

I am sooo happy to see them in the ama!!!! since this is their first year of racing in the ama they will have little corky things to work out of the bikes such as some of the engine mods and also tires, but i know those bikes will do great once they get everything tunned properly, they have already had a top 10 finish which isnt too bad considering how many race and the machinery the others have :cheers:

[Infallible]

AMA sucks balls. The ONLY TIME they show the MV's are when they break or crash, other than that its a parade show of Spies, Maladin, Bostrom, Duhammel, Zemke over and over and over and over and over and over and over again continuously.

[Axecent]

AMA sucks balls. The ONLY TIME they show the MV's are when they break or crash, other than that its a parade show of Spies, Maladin, Bostrom, Duhammel, Zemke over and over and over and over and over and over and over again continuously.

The problem is that there is very little racing at the front, and the sponsors will raise hell with Speed if they are showing backmarker racing. At least Spies will race Mladin this year, toe to toe.

I watched the BSB compilation the last coupla yrs and the racing is so much better than here in the states, and the WSB Assen races last weekend? Man, awesome racing, really makes our series look like crap. With such a huge market in the US, I am at a loss that we don't have a better series, but the tracks are poor and not safe, the crowds are much smaller and probably tighter with their funds, and the AMA is a proven confederacy of dunces. You don't have to look any further than the class sturcture and confusion created for the fans and sponsors alike to see that organization could use a good a$$ kicking.

I would love to be optimistic about MV's program in the AMA, but my gut tells me that too many components are missing to lead to much success. FBF has been out of it too long, it is doubtful that MV will commit the requisite funds, and they are filling a slot that Ducati, which just posted record sales in the US, chose to abandon. What does that tell you?

[Axecent]

And what is up with the MV's pegs? I hope that I get some FBF rearsets soon so I can stop my feet slipping off the slick ended stock pegs. I would love to go somewhere on-line where I can actually find upgrades to some of the design 'failures' of the bike.

I finally got my FBF rearsets, and they work. Nicely made, fully adjustable, and good and grippy where it counts. FYI.

Still looking for bar risers. Any help would be appreciated.

[Sal Khan]

I spoke with Steven Ferracci (Eraldo's son) in his office for almost an hour last weekend and he told me a lot of interesting things regarding the FBF MV AMA effort.

Apparently, Eraldo himself inspects and tears down the base bike and sends his request on what needs to be changed directly to Cagiva in Italy. The 2 problems were that A) The bikes showed up the morning of the first day of Practice at Daytona and B) Out of some form of what I guess is hubris, Cagiva ignored many of Eraldo's requests and naturally, many of those unchanged parts are the ones that failed.

Steven also mentioned that they wish they had gotten their bikes earlier so they could this out and put in the necessary requests. Now it's just a little hectic.

[jandrade]

fbf is great...i called them upthey had my exhaust drove down there pickedit uponly to get get home and find out they gave me the wrong pcIII...so what do they do? well send me a new one free shipping and overnight it...there top notch dont know what issues youve had with them...lastly fbf in ama is a GREAT THING! If the bikes dont come around by next year then it might not be worth watching but look at what fbf did for ducatis!

[MrFeetZ]

AMA sucks balls. The ONLY TIME they show the MV's are when they break or crash, other than that its a parade show of Spies, Maladin, Bostrom, Duhammel, Zemke over and over and over and over and over and over and over again continuously.

Dude, what clip is your avitar from???? ROFL that is GREAT!

[Bill in OKC]

I have bought a few of my Ducati bits from Fast by Ferracci and have had great results. I read a nice interview with Eraldo in last month's Sport Rider - the one with the new Hayabusa insert and it was a great read.

[budoist]

Well... what'd it say?

[SF2DieHard]

I noticed a distinct lack of MV's at the opening round of AMA Superbike Racing at Daytona. Did they pull out this year?

DungeonMaster

[jandrade]

good question...

[falco03]

i believe they have. it would be great to see again.

[jandrade]

i think the fact they did so poorly and were so underfunded compared to speis/mladin yoshi cock team that they pulled the plug...

[TheDuke]

Ferrach had no funding from the factory and not much money in sponsorship, he's not a rich guy so he can't afford to pay for everything out of his own pocket.

[Axecent]

Ferrach had no funding from the factory and not much money in sponsorship, he's not a rich guy so he can't afford to pay for everything out of his own pocket.

Kharma, IMO. I'm capable of sponsoring them, but I wouldn't do it after my warranty torque around.

"The same people you mis-use on your way up, you may meet up, on your way back down".

Lowell George, RIP

[ckruzel]

yep no backing, so they pulled out

[PeterM]

Interestingly there is an MV being ridden in the Australian SBK series this year. Kevin Curtain (ex WSS) is riding the bike and the team is getting direct factory support in terms of engine work (within the rule constraints). First round was run the other weekend and for a bike with many stock parts still on it it did pretty well.

[wingman03]

I actually thought they did well, for a first year privately funded team, they managed to land in the top ten a few times, and looked very competitive off and on. I talked a while to their crew chief at VIR and he was very optimistic about this season. He felt that at the end of last they were getting the bike sorted and had some good stuff in the works. Too bad, they were a bright spot in a sea of sameness.